Masks
by 1Thunderfire
Summary: Meta Knight had certainly not planned to stumble in on Bayonetta while she was having a bath and he certainly never planned for anyone to see him without his mask. But rather than fleeing, the two end up having a heart-to-heart instead, both finding that they have things to hide and that even they need someone to share them with.


**A Kirby one-shot and a Smash Bros one-shot within less than two weeks of each other? What madness is this?!**

 **Yup, I decided to do another Meta Knight x Bayonetta one-shot and have a look at things a bit more deeply. And also, when you think about it, they do have some similarities between each other (or at least they do when you think creatively enough or apply a little Wild Mass Guessing. Probably). Also, it's fun to embarrass Meta Knight! Enjoy. :)**

 **P.S Some slight spoilers for _Kirby: Planet Robobot_ and definitely for _Bayonetta_ though that game's been out long enough. Also, as of _Kirby: Planet Robobot_ , Meta Knight's eyes without his mask are still yellow so I've mentioned that here, just in case someone points that out.**

* * *

 **Masks**

With the scent of jasmine and camomile swirling in the air, Bayonetta languidly lounged in the hot, sweet waters with a contented sigh. Steam rose against the ceiling and the speakers playing relaxing, classical music. Bubbly foam covered the surface of the water and much of the Umbra Witch. One could quite easily drift away in a soothing cloud here. Truly Master Hand looked after his Smashers purchasing only the finest luxury content. That much of it was to satisfy his own pride and his own particular tastes seemed to matter little. Yes, Bayonetta was becoming quite fond of this little world; it would almost be a shame to leave it and kill more angels of Paradiso again in the bloodiest fashion possible. Pit had not been amused when she discussed at length, and in detail, the execution of angels.

Ah, yes, the Smashers. They were an eclectic lot to be sure. A pair of jumping plumbers. An electric mouse. A magical princess. A seemingly ordinary person whose permanent smile masked a rather unnerving, psychotic side. A creature with a black hole stomach. She was quite sure she could easily kill many of these outside of the Smash World and surely those who could only rely on weapons alone rather than some innate, magical skill. Still, they must have had some merit to be called here. Even the most oddball choices.

Sinking further into the water until only her head was showing, Bayonetta realised with a slight smile that she had forgotten to lock the door. Of course there were other bathrooms but anyone could wander in, especially as she had dimmed the lights until they were quite low.

A few minutes later, the door opened to reveal Meta Knight.

Bayonetta watched with lazy interest as Meta Knight, one of her most favourite people in this place, yawned and fluidly transformed his cape into his trademark bat-like wings, reminding the witch with some amusement of her Bat Within ability. He stretched them out fully, relishing the feel of their movement. He seemed to assume that what with the darkness and lingering heat, the bathroom had only been vacated recently and since it was unlocked, it was surely empty. He was tired; he was not going to be fastidious in checking. Besides, he was in the Smash Mansion, they were not going to be attacked, surely he could let his guard down just once?

Meta Knight first pulled off his violet sabatons and then his metallic hand guards. Next came his gleaming pauldrons placed neatly on the side next to the ornamental statue. Finally, almost cautiously, he reached for the straps that held his beloved mask in place and unhooked them.

Bayonetta caught a glimpse of his uncovered face as he delicately placed his signature armour alongside his other items and raised an eyebrow. How pleasantly unexpected. How _cute._ Apart from colour, he looked almost exactly like a certain other Smasher. Even without the mask, his eyes still glowed a bright yellow. Interesting.

To Bayonetta, Meta Knight was a very interesting person; she had found out as much as she could about the masked swordsman, experience telling her that it was always a good idea to find out as much as you could about your friends, companions and enemies no matter the situation. He was quiet and contemplative but always ready to provide wisdom if need be, suitable, considering the number of years he had been alive much like the witch. He seemed to be a figure of darkness but worked in the side of light. He was a figure to be wary of even in his homeland; no-one could say with absolute certainty quite what Meta Knight was thinking or what actions he planned to take. Truly if Meta Knight was to take one of three paths, it would be neither Paradiso nor Inferno but Purgatorio.

Also, and this had to be said, he was certainly a worthy opponent. That bloody knight was an absolute _pain_ to defeat in the course of a normal battle, especially without items and on a more or less plain stage. How the hell did the others cope with him, especially the ones without any magic or technical abilities to speak of? Good lord, she needed to dominate him at some point.

Meta Knight made the lights brighter and turned round fully only to see Bayonetta.

"Don't get dressed on my account," the Umbra Witch said. She stifled a laugh at Meta Knight's highly alarmed reaction. He practically threw himself backwards, nearly slipping on the wet floor, blushing brightly, and grabbed at his mask.

"I-I apologise for the intrusion," he stuttered, mentally berating his lack of composure. "I wrongly assumed this room was unoccupied."

"Really? I thought you came in here to spy on ladies _in flagrante delicto_. How naughty of you."

"N-no! That is not my intention! I-"

"And you don't have your sword either. That is a shame. I do so like looking at it. Maybe you'll show me later?"

"Ngh!"

"Still, we mustn't let the others intrude now must we? That would be an awkward situation."

Bayonetta heard a choked noise from the masked swordsman as she rose from the bath and walked across the tiles like a modern Godiva. Meta Knight didn't know what to say and he certainly didn't know where to look. Humans, from what he gathered, were usually very self-conscious and private about being seen without clothing. Bayonetta, evidently, was not. Then again, she wasn't entirely human.

"There," she smiled, as if there wasn't a highly mortified puffball in the corner of the room. "Let's make ourselves comfortable, shall we? I do so like a little company."

Meta Knight's eyes behind his mask were shockingly pink. Oh Nova, now she was _sauntering_ over to him! He reverted his wings back to their cape form and wrapped it around himself, feeling it the only other safe thing in the room apart from his mask.

"Could you at least grab a towel?" he muttered, casting his vision to the floor for safety's sake. "The other ladies are not so… open as this."

"If by other ladies you mean the likes of Peach and Zelda, I assume as princesses they must adhere to a certain level of decorum for the sake of their position and reputation. Since I am not a princess, I do not have to bother with decorum and I therefore do not give a damn. Besides, masked one, you were the one who walked in on me."

"You left the door unlocked and now you've locked me in!"

"I cannot let you leave since you obviously came in with the purpose to clean yourself. You must be feeling dirty." She smirked. "Very dirty."

Meta Knight nearly said that Ike was dirtier than him but stopped himself just in time; it reminded him of that peculiar event in Dream Land that involved truly awful pies and he was fervently thankful none of the citizens had picked up on his wrong choice of words. And if he was dirty, then it was obviously the results of their sparring of course, nothing else. None of the other ladies in the Smash Mansion were like Bayonetta at all, indeed, he had not met many ladies like Bayonetta during the course of his whole life whether on Popstar or off it. She was… different. Very different. That was worth the interest alone.

"You're staring you know. There must be something you're interested in seeing."

"I'm not taking part in your game you know," Meta Knight groaned.

"What game may that be?"

"Never mind," he said curtly. "I'm just here to cleanse myself."

"If you insist."

Meta Knight strode past Bayonetta (trying not to look too closely of course. Why would he be looking anyway? It wasn't as if, that is to say, you know… ngh) and grabbed the nearest bottle of body cream. What he would do with it though when in the presence of someone else he wasn't entirely sure. It didn't help that this was, well, Bayonetta they were talking about. Why was he even doing this? He should just leave already!

"Take your time," Bayonetta called out, blocking the doorway in a relaxed fashion. "I'm sure you've nothing to be embarrassed about, unlike certain people. People talk about that kind of thing but then they get rather embarrassed if I happen to be close by. I've simply no idea why."

 _They believe you're out of their league_ , Meta Knight thought and then thanked Nova that he had the presence of mind not to say that out loud. He tried to concentrate on matters at hand seeing that the witch was toying with him, not letting him leave. Of course Meta Knight was unwilling about it and had not chosen for this to happen; this was not the kind of thing Meta Knight allowed himself to be involved in. Ah, no, that implied weakness. He was letting this happen obviously. Yes, he was _choosing_ for this to happen because no-one directed his actions! Ah, but that implied he was letting this happen willingly because he… ah, damn it.

Anyway, he had then reached a deep, personal crisis: dare he remove his mask in front of the Umbra Witch?

"It's simply adorable that you keep hiding your face like that," Bayonetta said as she leant against the wall and, to Meta Knight's relief and possibly slight disappointment, covered most of herself with her long hair and a towel. "What is your reason for it?"

"Practically it protects me from harm considering there isn't many other types of armour I can wear."

Bayonetta pursed her lips. "Even while you're indoors and relaxing in the company of others?"

Meta Knight sighed. He was not especially keen on discussing this topic with anyone. It was… embarrassing. "I fear people would not take me seriously as a warrior if I went about without my mask," he grudgingly explained. "They would see me as… cute as is typical of my race and would then likely question my abilities as a warrior. My appearance and my voice contrast greatly against each other and knowledge of my looks would perhaps lead to me being undermined and underestimated. I will not be undermined nor underestimated."

"Your young one does not seem to have the same issue."

"Kirby's not my young one," Meta Knight was compelled to say. "He is my student. And anyway, he is of an age in which this does not matter to him. Not that Kirby would be able to wear a mask such as mine anyway seeing that it would block him from using his Copy Abilities which I lack. Besides, he is quite happy as he is his only main issue being if he shall be fed and if there's somebody to play with him when he wishes."

"Does he know what you look like unmasked?" Bayonetta inquired.

Meta Knight hesitated for a moment. "He does. He's one of the very few people who knows this."

"And he is not bothered by it?"

"… No. He… quite likes it actually." Kirby's moment of joy when he saw that Meta Knight looked very much like him; he would never forget it.

"Well then, I would too," said Bayonetta. "I've seen you just now without your mask, you've seen me in a state of undress. I hardly think your appearance is a major problem to me considering the forms that I've seen – angels really are vile in their true forms you know. I really think that you can remove your mask amongst friends or at least companions if you so see the people here that way. You always distance yourself from practically everyone and your mask distances you all the more. That is understandable, you're a reserved person, but for once in a while, I don't think you need to be quite so distant."

Meta Knight grimaced, the idea of being seen without his mask in front of others a foreign concept indeed, especially in this, how we shall it, unusual situation. He couldn't even properly recall the last time he had voluntarily removed his mask in front of others. And as for the situation he was in, well, when was the last time he did that? He had taken vows hadn't he? Were they even a requirement anymore? Ah…

"I thought you were this big, brave knight," she teased the puffball. "Are you scared of showing your face in front of others? Anyone would think you're shy and simply don't want to be seen."

"I am not shy!" Meta Knight snapped, finding the slight of being scared insulting. He then realised how pathetic that sounded to himself. He had a reputation to uphold for goodness sake and if he was to control anything about his life, it was how others perceived him. Without a reputation, what would his status as a knight be? What would he have without his reputation?

He held a glove to his mask with a heavy sigh. "I… just find the concept uncomfortable," he admitted. "Perhaps I did start wearing my mask as a way to solidify my status as a knight both out of practicality and to appear as a formidable foe. Beforehand, hardly any, if there were any at all, would take me seriously as a warrior despite having displayed my skill in combat many times before. So the mask seemed a sensible solution, apart from the obvious reason of protection, particularly as it looks similar to the one donned by Galacta Knight, a legendary figure in our lands."

Meta Knight's eyes glowed green as he recalled his fierce battle against Galacta Knight, a veritable counterpart to himself, so much so it was almost frightening. The strongest swordsman in history and he had been defeated by Meta Knight. More than once in fact. None could deny his power. At least… with the mask.

"And now I have worn it for so long, people would wonder what the matter was for my removing it. It has also helped cultivate an image of me as being mysterious which I do not consider a bad thing. But without it, I would not be so mysterious. I would not be the warrior I am perceived to be." Meta Knight sighed again. "It… protects my honour. Is that so strange?"

Though she had not known the Popstar inhabitant for long, Bayonetta recognised that Meta Knight was not one to easily reveal his thoughts and feelings. Indeed, the dark puffball seemed quite embarrassed at revealing anything at all, his now pink eyes highlighting this fact, the colour of his eyes generally being the only reliable or indeed, visible indicator of what he was thinking or feeling. Still, he was talking with her about a personal issue and considering that Meta Knight's main topic of conversation with other people was normally about training, battle or event results or occasionally deep, philosophical concepts, this was quite an achievement.

"Well, since it's so important to you, I won't tell anyone what you look like without your mask." Bayonetta raised her hands. "My honour as an Umbra Witch, which, considering the secrets we've kept for centuries, is not an empty promise in case you think otherwise. But you should be able to show your true self to at least one person without having to hide it all the time. I am as much a warrior as you, I dare say, having to eradicate foes but I would like to think there is more to me than that, as there is to you. Think of it as freeing yourself for a while; you don't always have to hide behind your armour no matter how important it is to you, certainly outside of combat. Think of it as a challenge to overcome, Meta Knight."

The swordsman was quiet. For a moment, he didn't move, only seriously thinking to himself. Then, slowly, he removed his mask once more and carefully returned it amongst his other articles. His eyes glowed an even brighter pink with embarrassment and Bayonetta noticed blush stickers very much like Kirby's; not as prominent, but still there. He kept stealing glances towards the mask but refrained from picking it up again.

"There, that wasn't difficult was it?" Bayonetta said.

"I… suppose not," he mumbled. He was painfully aware that he was in the most intimate of areas with someone who was very much undressed without the protection his mask afforded. What would others say if they found out about this?

… Then again, they wouldn't find out about this. Meta Knight was as good at keeping secrets as he was at swordplay. And Bayonetta had nonchalantly mentioned on a previous occasion that she was impressed by his swordplay and how she would very much like to see more of it in a 1-1 match.

… _Dear Nova._

"And no nasty surprises either. Not like the last masked figure I saw."

"And who… would you be referring to?" Meta Knight queried, not knowing exactly why he was staying in this situation and simply didn't just force himself through the door even though Galaxia was safely stowed away in his quarters. This was, he reflected, very much unlike him.

For the first time, Bayonetta's mask of supreme, sultry confidence slipped. Now feeling a little cool, she further wrapped a soft towel around herself and sat on the wide wooden frame beside the giant bath, big enough to fit even Master Hand (of course he had his own special luxury bathroom but that was another story). She stared at nothing in particular.

"My father."

Meta Knight considered this. The fact that she had a father, or indeed a parent at all, was a rarity in the Smash Mansion, most of the Smashers having been orphaned at a very young age, abandoned or simply grew up without any knowledge of familial connections. Maybe that was why Kirby was so attached to him…

"You have a history?"

"Indeed we do."

"Would you then perhaps… enlighten me further please?"

Bayonetta was silent. It was one thing telling someone else that they should not hide themselves and should perhaps be a little more open with others but taking your own advice on that was quite another thing. As she was thinking, Meta Knight, with more than a little hesitation, carefully approached and sat down near the Umbra Witch at what he considered a respectable distance though not so far away as to appear rude. His eyes were now neutral in colour and Bayonetta knew he would listen carefully. Practically everyone could talk and most of them talked far too much; she really did find the talkative types so irritating, at least when they gabbled on without explaining anything; it was a rare individual who could actually _listen._

Like Meta Knight, she had too had a reputation that she obliged to uphold even if she hadn't been here for as long. Perhaps opening up in this way would seem rather strange. But maybe she wanted to talk. Maybe it was good to discuss matters with an understanding companion… an understanding friend.

"I could tell you a rather long story but it would bore me as much as it would bore you so I'll cut to the chase shall I? Or as much as I can so that you understand I suppose."

Meta Knight nodded his assent and waited.

"As you know, I kill angels of Paradiso as part of my contract with Inferno and at that time, my only other concern was to discover what the Eyes of the World actually meant, a bloody long-winded business I must say, and to see if they could help me recall my lost memories and find out who I was."

Meta Knight briefly contemplated that lost memories, amnesia and such was another common issue amongst the Smashers. They did indeed share many characteristics other than being the heroes of their home worlds which was possibly about three-quarters of them. Perhaps that was one reason why Master Hand had gathered them together, almost like a collector with very specific tastes. The old warrior was thankful that amnesia was an issue he had never experienced. Then again, if there was a way to get rid of certain memories…

"I thought they were jewels of a sort but it turns out they weren't at all. Rather, the Eyes manifest within a person's memories and by accepting their power, they can be used at will. They allow the power of creation to be awakened and my… father, Balder, wanted to use them revive the Creator of our universe, destroy the universe and create a new one. He possessed one Eye while I had the other. It was a bloody complicated plan with so many riddles and vague hints along the way it was ridiculous but he nearly pulled it off, the bastard. Yet he still kept saying he'd watch over me.

"Anyway, that battle finished him off and I thought that was that and at least this time round, I had some good friends. Everything would be normal again.

"But I was wrong."

Bayonetta then explained that not so long afterwards, whilst on a mission to literally save her friend's soul, a strange, masked figure appeared trying to kill a boy who she had recently become acquainted with, a boy who the man thought had killed her mother. He, however, later realised he had been deceived by the dark force Loptr, one that he would eventually absorb to prevent it from returning to life despite knowing that it would certainly corrupt him and make him do terrible, unforgiveable things. And when he finally removed his mask, Bayonetta saw that the figure was actually Balder, the father who had died not so long before, the father who she had aimed to kill before and was finished off by the god Jubileus. He could have never returned. And yet he would still watch over her…

Meta Knight's eyes glowed green as he processed the information. Time travel was certainly a complicated subject and one that required deep thinking but he believed he had the necessary understanding of it. To say that the event would have come as a shock would be an understatement. He could easily see why Bayonetta was affected even though during daily life at the Smash Mansion, she gave no indication whatsoever of any possible issues she may have had. In fact, she was one of those people who were the life and soul of the party, albeit with added risqué remarks, while Meta Knight preferred to watch from afar, the equivalent to nursing a drink at said party while everyone else happily danced until they dropped.

"I wonder to myself at times: is there something else I could have done? Something different to prevent all this happening? It's a pointless notion I know but I do sometimes wonder all the same. Do not think me self-pitying by the way," she added when Meta Knight still remained silent. "I can't stand that. I can think of better things to do with my time than pity myself for heaven's sake."

A sheer force of will and determination; that was something many of the Smashers shared. To be subjected to the worst events of your life but to then simply deal with it head-on and screw what others may say or think; that was something he could admire. Meanwhile, Bayonetta noticed the quiet rustle of his wings reappearing again.

"Sometimes we simply cannot control what happens to us or to anyone else," Meta Knight replied after deep consideration, "as much as we would like to. Some things there is little we can do about much as it pains us. Some things we have to accept, see if we can learn anything from it, and then move on. To do so is to become wiser and more mature."

"Ah, you're not one of those believers in fate and destiny are you?" Bayonetta almost scoffed. "Some people use that as an excuse to not do anything at all. It's considerably lazy of them." Meta Knight almost chuckled.

"Some perhaps do in the run-up to certain events and feel that they cannot change anything before it has occurred. But many here believe something on the lines that destiny is ours to decide. I for one will not sit back and do nothing if I believe that my actions have the power to change things in some way. If the event was as terrible as you say, manipulated by a god, then what could you have done? You become stronger from it and control future events as much as it is in your power to do so. But no matter how powerful some of us are, we cannot change absolutely everything, especially when they have happened. For the most part, we cannot go back in time and change things; there is quite often the high risk of making things worse as we are certainly not omnipotent. We must face it and grow from the experience. Believe me, I know."

Bayonetta glanced at the knight, noting the slight bitter tones that crept in. The warrior leaned back a little and briefly closed his eyes, wishing that he could get rid of some of his memories yet knowing at the same time they made him who he was. "Enlighten me if you would be so kind."

Meta Knight looked very much troubled by what he had to say but he nevertheless explained, albeit in a quieter voice than normal, what he had been through recently on Popstar when the planet was invaded by a certain company.

 _I was brought down easily, much too easily. I tried fighting back yet I was overpowered. Was I so weak that day? I should have been able to fight back better than that! Why could I not do anything to fight back? At least Kirby had not been taken; he was able to help me. But he's still a child; he should not have to deal with this. I should be the one looking out for everyone else. But I failed._

 _What if Kirby faces something even he cannot deal with alone? I cannot afford to fail next time. I must be strong…_

"Well, it sounds as if you didn't have a fun time of it," Bayonetta said.

"Mmm."

"Yet you seem to have come out of it fine. From what everyone else has said, you seem not to changed much at all. And I certainly can't see you having any difficulties."

Meta Knight's eyes glowed brightly. "You believe so?"

"You seem to be coping with it well. Or are you still wearing a mask of sorts about it?"

Meta Knight glanced over to the mask in the corner. It had broken when he was released from his… predicament and almost immediately he had flown away out of sight and regained his composure and wits, even before he managed to remove everything else unwillingly attached to him. It seemed funny, now he came to think about it, that he cared more about his uncovered face than anything else. And yet he was sat here without his mask deep in meaningful conversation, so much so that he hadn't thought about it until now.

… Had they moved closer or something? He was sure he had left a bigger gap than that.

... Why did his heart feel so light? Was he feeling OK?

"I believe not," he answered. "It was an experience I certainly never want to go through again and I do not plan to allow the same thing to happen the next time we are invaded. Yet I was able to use that experience and focus all my energy into eradicating the enemy for good, continuing what Kirby had already accomplished." He never said it out loud much but he was truly proud of Kirby for his courage, skill and achievements. "I am sure you have done the same, Bayonetta."

"God," Bayonetta smirked. "I feel like a bloody therapist and a patient rolled into one. But I suppose you are right. What's done is done. It was hard at first but I have people to count on, things to do, damn angels to take care of, certainly no time to mope. I feel quite glad I've been able to talk to you about this; I doubt anyone else would be quite so willing to listen; I doubt they believe that I could have any kind of problem like them. Thank you, Meta Knight."

The swordsman blinked. It occurred to him that they were quite similar in many ways; far older and experienced than most people here, standing on the fringe of society, keeping secrets and forever exuding an air of utter confidence. Yet even they needed to converse with someone at times about their experiences, someone to be free with and open up for once. It was a comforting thought.

"You're welcome," he replied. He gave a sigh of relief, feeling content that he could help others, feeling even more content in the warm, soothing atmosphere of the bathroom.

"By the way, your wings are open. Are you trying to tell me something?"

Meta Knight jolted and saw that was indeed the case; he hadn't realised that they had opened of their own accord. Usually, this only happened if he felt relaxed enough in the presence of someone else to let them move freely, an unusual event, considering how they were more often than not seen as demon wings. But Bayonetta had quite the sympathy, and indeed, connection with demons.

"And you arrived here quite some time ago and you still haven't done what you were planning to do."

"And what's what?" said Meta Knight carefully.

"Why, get clean of course. What else? Unless you have other things you would like to do." And with that, Bayonetta shoved Meta Knight backwards in the still-hot bath.

Meta Knight came up spluttering and spluttered even more when Bayonetta entered the bath again with more grace than he. He was about to say something but he completely forgot his words when he felt a hand brush the edge of a wing.

" _Ngh…"_

"After that talk, I believe we ought to have some fun," Bayonetta smirked as she watched the swordsman try to get his words in order.

"What… kind of fun do you have in mind?"

* * *

Captain Falcon walked along the corridor yawning knowing that it was probably not the best of ideas to stay out so late, especially considering that he had a hefty training session tomorrow but hey, the guys made him do it. He blamed Robin personally. His head was banging and he needed something suitably greasy to get over it.

At such a late hour then, he was therefore surprised to see Meta Knight out and about, not in his quarters meditating or reading or whatever the hell he did when he was alone. The warrior held a cup of coffee and his eyes were surprisingly pink.

"Nice night, huh?" Captain Falcon said conversationally as he opened the fridge.

"A very nice night indeed."

And with a chuckle, Meta Knight left the kitchen leaving Captain Falcon to wonder what had amused the normally stoic knight so, not to mention why he smelt so strongly of bath soaps. He shrugged and desperately hoped that someone had left some bacon here. Maybe he could get some sauce and-

Hold on... was Meta Knight carrying his mask just now?


End file.
